How exemplary educators use their instructional expertise to support CLDE achievement in English‐only inclusive classrooms

Abstract

English language learners with special needs require specific cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and cultural considerations to be successful in inclusive environments. Educators who teach within the confines of English‐only laws have an additional hurdle to overcome when educating culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional (CLDE) students. Through participant observation, four exemplary middle school inclusive educators were observed to determine how each educator specifically used research‐based instruction to support content, language acquisition, and differentiated learning for both CLDE learners and their typically developing counterparts in English‐only settings. The researchers compiled instructional theories associated with culturally responsive teaching, inclusive education, and CLDE learning theories to create an observational tool that compared the instructional strategies used by exemplary inclusive educators to research‐based strategies associated with this population of students. Data reveal that each educator presented a research‐based, instructional strength, which included alternative assessment, active learning, self‐determination skills, and language acquisition.